There’s a new cookie from Fig Newtons, it’s called the Newtons Fruit Thin and it incorporates healthy ingredients like whole wheat flour and real fruit into a tasty, crispy cookie. There are four varieties: Cranberry Citrus Oat, Blueberry & Brown Sugar, Fig & Honey and Chocolate Raspberry. We got to experience the Blueberry & Brown Sugar flavor. Three-fourths* of our family were immediately smitten with them. They are really yummy and make a great snack or after-meal treat without feeling guilty for indulging.

As I sampled the cookies, I just knew I had to find a way to incorporate them in a dessert recipe. One of my favorite flavor combinations is lemon and blueberry. These blueberry cookies, while quite delicious in their own right, to me were just begging for that added tartness from lemons. I had a few ideas and after perusing some recipes online, I settled on making tarts.

A few weeks ago, I came across this recipe for key lime tarts and pinned it to my Pinterest board for desserts. (Oh, Pinterest! Don’t get me started on that obsession!) I decided that the recipe could be modified from key lime to lemon and that the cookies could form the crust in lieu of the graham crackers.

The result? Mouthwatering! I was a bit nervous because my lemon filling didn’t seem to thicken up the way I expected it to but after the baking and the chilling, it was just fine. The flavors are wonderful! Bright lemon with the sweet blueberry crust. Delicious!**

Lemon Blueberry Tarts

(adapted from Idle Wife’s Rustic Key Lime Tarts)

Crust:

• 1 1/2 cups crushed Blueberry & Brown Sugar Newtons Fruit Thins (this is a little more than half a package)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• zest from one lemon
• 6 tablespoons salted butter, melted

Combine the cookie crumbs, sugar, and lemon zest. Mix in the melted butter until everything is thoroughly coated and moist.

Use cooking spray or butter to grease 12 muffin cups (1-12 cup tin or 2-6 cup tins). Divide the crumb mixture  into the 12 muffin cups. You can either use your fingers to press the crumbs into the bottom and around the sides of the muffin cups or you can use a cup/glass that fits into cup to press down the crumbs.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes. Allow to cool.

Filling:

• 2 egg yolks
• 1 can fat free/low fat sweetened condensed milk OR 14 oz homemade sweetened condensed milk***
• 1/2 cup lemon juice

Mix the condensed milk and egg yolks together until combined. Add the lemon juice and stir to combine.

Pour about 1/2 cup of batter into each graham cracker cup. Cook at 350 for 15 minutes. Cool and chill in the fridge for about an hour. Top with fresh blueberries and serve chilled.

*The fourth family member who didn’t like the cookies gobbled down a tart and wanted another one.
**Now you can feel guilty about eating the cookies.
***The linked recipe includes a link to a recipe for homemade sweetened condensed milk. I decided to try making it for this recipe. It worked all right but I wasn’t completely convinced that it was the way to go (vs. just buying a can at the store). Then Heather Solos passed the following recipe onto me. I’m going to try it and see if it works any better. I also need to find a cheaper source of powdered milk because the box that my husband brought home from the store is not cost effective for using in recipes.

Homemade Sweetened Condensed Milk

• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 TBSP butter
• 1 cup nonfat instant dry milk powder
• dash salt

Briskly whisk the ingredients together and bring to a full boil (start over low heat and gradually increase). Remove from heat and allow to cool before use or storage.

Photos are property of the author.

This is a sponsored post from One2One Network. The recipe idea and opinions expressed are my own. I was provided with product for the purpose of reviewing and I am an employee of One2One Network.